Bracket for lightning-rod points.



T. W. DODD.

mom ron umnmma non Poms. APPLICATION FILED MAR-11 1913- I 7 1,140,582. Patented May 25,1915.

IN VEN TOR.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS I I TE T'O 1 v s amiabn of Ilettersratent.

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Patented Ma 25, 1915."

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THOMAS W.- Dom), a

'* samurai the United .States, residing at in the construction,

DesMoines, in'the county of Iowa, have invented Bracket for Lightning-Rod Po1nts, of wh1ch the following The object a bracket for ple, durable,

of Polk and State a new and useful is a specification.

of my invention. is to prov de lightning rod pointsqof slmnd' inexpensive construction,

and more particularly it-is my object :to produce .a bracket .ef kind mentioned, made of material such metal so that the but will b e-strong, tough, and time may be readily bent into diflerent shapes. 1 A further object vice made of thin plate, at the same so formed as to have a bearing for the point, said bracket being so formed and structed that strip of metal.

invention consists in certain details,

rangement of vice whereby attained, as hereinafter more in as copper or -=a1mealed bracket is made from a is to promde such a decomparatively light material to be strongly reinforced and lightning rod it may be made of a single combination and arthe various parts of the objects contemplated are lly set forth,

pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 shows a perspective improved bracket for lightning rod installed on roof. transverse sectional view through view of my point Fig. 2 shows a horizontal one of the arms of my bracket. Fig. 3 shows a vertical central sectional view through my improved bracket.

It is my purpose to make 'my bracket from a single piece of comparatively thin metal, which must be of tough, and yet easily and form said strip as metal that is strong, bent and, to so shape to reinforce it to produce maximum strength with minimum weight.

In the accompanying drawings I have used the reference numeral generally the which bracket of an inverted U, as clearly The arms are connected at their 1 and 3.

ends by a curved portion 11. Each arm is formed with extending be a longitudinal outwardly ad 12, extending from the the dein whichcurved portion 11 toqa point'spaced apart from the lower free endof the arm 10. The arms 10 and the curved portion 11. are provided at each edge with an inwardly extending flange 13. Flanges 13 and the beads 12 are designed to reinforeeand strengthen the bracket in order to ve it great strength although it is originallv made from a single flat strip substantially rectangular in shape. In the manufacture of my improved bracket I cut a small hole 13 inthe middle of the curved portion 11., and then spin the metal, thereby enlarging the hole and forming an up wandly -extending cylindrical portion 15, .which forms a long bearing for the lightnmg rod point 16. The flange 13 extends to the points near the lower ends of the arms 10. Near the lower ends of the flanges 13 and ridges 12, I form in each outwardly extending transverse bead 17, the purpose of which will hereinafter be more fully explained. The lower free ends 18 of the arms 10 are flat and are turned outwardly at acute angles to the planes in which the arms lie, on which said ends are formed. In the flat ends 18 I have cut a plurality of holes 19 to receive screws or nails, whereby said flat ends may be secured to the roof. The bracket is made of material which may be readily bent in order that the ends 18 may be easily turned to different angles with relation to the arms 10. In installing lightning rod points the brackets may be secured to roofs having different pitches or even to flat roofs, and by making my improved brackets from the material mentioned I am able to bend the free ends so that the flat portions 18 may rest firmly against the roof or support on which the bracket is mounted. I have formed the transverse beads 17, so that the portions 18 may be more easily bent closing a straigh line for use on an pitch of roof. The advantages of my improved bracket may be seen from the foregoing description.

The'device is inexpensive in so much that it is made of a thin strip of metal and few operations arerequired to make it. The beads and flanges are formed by means of a die and give the thin strip of metal comparatively'great strength and rigidity. The cylindrical portion 15, which forms a hear ing for. the point is formed from the same arm 10 an III strip of metal and is of considerable importance, in so much as it provides a broad bearing surface. If no such cylindrical portion were formed and only a hole cut in the curved portion 11, the result would be that the lightning rod point would be sawed as it Was vibrated would be enlarged and the bracket pulled loose by the vibration of the point. It will be seen that my bracket has ample strength to support lightning rod point against movement toward either arm 10. The flat portions 18 also serve for supporting the point against movement in the transverse direction Wi th relation to thecurved portion 11. connection it may be noted that my bracket is preferably designed to .be used in connection with mv cable and tube coupler as by the wind or the hole Inthis I I claim as my invention A lightning rod support comprising a single strip of comparatively thin metal bent into substantially the shape of an in-' wardly extending flanges at the edges of said arms and connecting portions, each of the said arms being formed with a central longitudinal outwardly extendingbead and with a flat portion at its lower end, extending at an acute angle from the main part of said arm, the said flat portion, and of such material as to be readily bent to different angles, being provided with open ings to receive fastening devices, for securing said fiat portions to a roof, said central portion being formed With a central opening and an upwardly extending cylindrical portion, adapted to receive a rod and form a bearing and support therefor.

THOS. W. DODD. Witnesses:

M. WALLACE, H. ANDERSON. 

